Friday, March 7, 2008

Obama, mama

I voted for the first time in 1982 and then and every time since I could feel the breath of my Black ancestors on my neck, those that fought and died for the right. I could also feel the warmth of all of the men and women who fought for the right for women to vote, and all of the multi-colored South Africans who had recently gained this liberty, and all the folks who got a chance because of sacrifice, determination, and absolute belief in equality and freedom, to pull the lever or blacken the dot.

I think of my parents who gained the right to vote in their lifetime--something we take for granted, now, they weren't able to do for the first 1/3 of their lives. Can you imagine? I think of all of the powerful women I know who's grandmothers couldn't do it--didn't have the right to choose what they wanted and believed in. And I think of the disaffected youth and the rest of those that have the ability but don't think it's worth it. How can it not be worth it when so many people gave their lives for it?

A few years ago on the day I had pneumonia but I went and did it anyway. I'm no hero or martyr--I bought a bar of chocolate that day, too, risking more illness by going to the grocery store--and it was during "hanging chad" time, an extraordinarily scary time all around, but damn if it wasn't worth it--someone was elected that day whom I still believe in who's gone on to higher office and made a world of difference to the community in which I lived at the time.

Corny shit is often true, ain't it?




TODAY, I Cried



Today, I cried.....I voted for a black man and, I cried.

I cried for my father and my grandfather
and all grandfathers before him.
I cried for my uncles, my four brothers, my seventeen nephews, my two sons,
my six grandsons and one great-grand son.
I cried for the black
men I have loved and those that have loved me.

I cried for the millions of little black boys (not forgetting the girls)
over the centuries that did not, in their wildest dreams, imagine...that
they
could run for Office. I cried for their despair...I cried for all the men
and boys incarcerated that lost hope in themselves and took the low road.
I cried, I cried and I cried..

I know that this was 'just the primary.' But whatever the end
result may be, today I voted in the United States of America
for a black man, and .. I cried.
If I should die before the presidential election it will be OK,
Because today I voted. I voted for a black man and I cried.
Author Unknown,